Wednesday, February 15, 2017

THE SUPREME IS ANANTHA THAT IS BHUMA, PLENTITUDE




THE SUPREME IS ANANTHA THAT IS BHUMA,  PLENTITUDE 
(Compilation for a discourse by N.R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA, February 2017)

INTRODUCTION
Narada approaches Sanat Kumara as a disciple of him. He approached him with due respect: “venerable sir, teach me”.  Sanat Kumara was Yogindra; Narada was a sage. Sanat Kumara said: “Please tell me what you know already. After knowing that, I shall teach you something which is greater and different from what you know. Because it is futile to teach what is already known”. There upon Narada described to him whatever he had learnt and practiced. Narada also told him that he knew that he who meditates upon name or words as Brahman will have free moment according to his will in the region of name. He then wanted know whether there is anything greater than name.
 Sanat Kumara knew very well Narada was well learned, very educated, master of all scriptural knowledge etc. He could operate freely   within that realm, but not beyond that. To the extent his knowledge can go, to the extent of the applicability of his learning, there is freedom for him. But where his knowledge is not applicable, there is no freedom for him.  It was helping him   in   the realm in which he found himself.  If one is in an academic realm, the academic knowledge helps. But, it will not help when one is in the middle of a river or the ocean where another kind of knowledge is necessary. It will not help when one is threatened with some kind of catastrophe in life where again another kind of knowledge is necessary. So the knowledge that he has gained was helpful to him within the limit of the operation of that knowledge, within the realm in which it works, and to the extent of the operation of the law pertaining to that branch of learning. His   meditation  thus on 'name' as Brahman had freedom   in that particular realm of, the name only.  
 So  Sanatkumara stared teaching him    something that  is more than the name as follows:  
 Vaag vaava naamo bhooyaasi | Speech is greater than the name or word.
Manoo vaava vaacho bhooyah | Mind is greater than speech.
Sankalpo vaa manaso bhooyaan | Will that is determining about as proper to be done, is greater than the mind.
Chittam vaava sankalpaad bhooyah | Thought which is in accordance with the appropriate time or appropriate timely   thoughts is greater than appropriate resolution (Sankalpa).
Dhyaanam vaa chittaad bhooyah | Concentrated meditation is greater than Intelligence (Chitta),
Vijnaanam vaava dhyaanaad Bhooyah | Scriptural knowledge that is gained from valid means is greater than contemplation.
Balam vaa vijnaanaad bhooyah| Bodily strength is greater than scriptural knowledge.
Annam vaava balaad bhooyah| Food is greater than bodily strength.
Aapo vaa and Bhooyah | Water is greater than food.
Tejo vaa adhbyo bhooyah| Tejas is greater than water.
Aakaaso vaava tejaso   bhoooyaan |Space ( Aakaaasa) is greater than Tejas
Smaro Vaava aakaasad bhooyah| Remembrance (memory) is greater than Aakaasa.
Aasaa vaava smaraad bhooyasee | Desire is greater than remembrance or memory.
Praano vaava aasayyaa bhooyaan | Praana (or the Jivatman with which Praana moves) is greater than desire.
Esha tu vaa ativaditi yah sathyenaativadati| He alone is one who speaks of the highest, who proclaims that Sathya (Truth) is the highest object of meditation. Brahman signified by the term Sathya is greater than Jivatman that is signified by the term Praana.

...... Brahmano naama satyam iti(8-3-4) | Taani ha vaa etaani treenyaksharanee sat ti yam iti | tadyat sat tadaamritam atha yat ti tan martyam atha tad yam tenobhe yacchati | yadanobheyacchati tasmaadyam | aharahrvaa evamvit svargam lokamiti || 8-3-5

The word Satya contains three letters viz.Sat+ti+yam.That which is  Sat is immortal. (the order of sentient; that which is   designated ti is the mortal (the order of non sentient); that which is conveyed by yam by that  both these are regulated.

That is yam because  the two signified by the forms of sentient and non-sentient  is regulated by the yam or Supreme Brahman.

Brahman referred as SATHYAM consists of three syllables, sath+thi+yam=Sathyam. Sat is the immortal; thi is the mortal; and yam means “by that both these are regulated” thereby meaning Supreme Brahman. Maayaa is Mithyam, opposite of Sathyam. World is Maayaa to those who have attained a desire-less (Gunateetha) state in this world by Sadhana  or spiritual training and are on their onward journey only to integrate with  Supreme.   Occupying the same body both Paramaatman and Jivatman share the same qualities except Paramaatman is Sathyam Jnaanam Amalam and Anantam Sathyam (as described above), Absolute Consciousness, Untainted by Karma at any stage, and Bhuma or indescribable Plentitude. It is the Self of all Selfs.   



Sanat Kumara then teaches Narada Bhuma Vidya  and tells him Supreme Brahman is attainable through  that kind of Upaasana detailed below.  Bhuma means plentitude or “Ananatam” (Sathyam Jnaanam and Anantam).   It is implied here that which is of the opposite nature of this viz. Bhuma is to be known as little. He also makes it clear mere Nama-Japa,   mere  chanting the name of Brahman is not enough;  one needs  to go to in-depth study   of this  kind of Upaasana. So he explains sacred knowledge of Bhuma Vidya to Narada. 

Mukti  or Liberation  from Samsaara     is stated as follows: He becomes one who enjoys in atman alone, will sport in the Atman, will be united with Atman, will have the bliss of the Atman and becomes   a Self-Monarch and he will have his desires fulfilled in all the worlds. A realizer of Brahman will not suffer from death, illness or sorrow. He sees everything in all ways according to his desires. This shows that Bhuma Vidya is also Saguna (manifest or explicit) Vidya.

When Bhuma is to be meditated upon as the all –Self by one,   it includes   the inner-self of his self also.  Bhuma is the Self of our self and our self is the body of that Bhuma. So instruction is given to meditate upon Bhuma as the Self. All words signify the Antaryamin that happens to be the Self in all. This teaching should not be misunderstood as related to Jivatman. This is the meditation upon Parmatman as Aham. It is also made clear here that the inner-self of all entities is both sentient and non-sentient.

A realizer will not see sorrow or disease in this world. This implies that this, world will not be disagreeable to a liberated soul. The world shows sorrows and disease only to one who is under the stress and strain of past Karma. Having realized everything by his mere will he obtains all times anything he desires.  By his   will he assumes any number of bodies. I talked about such an attainment by Siddha Yogis. For gaining such an Upasana, purity of the mind is absolutely necessary and that does not happen to those who take Rajasic or Tamasic food. So the Upanishad teaches one should subsist only Satvic food. By Satvic food the mind becomes pure and becomes capable of concentrating on meditation. By such a constant remembrance the knots of the form of ignorance, desires etc. that cannot be otherwise cut, get united. 

Sanat Kumara in Chandogya Upanishad refers to Skanda who got all obstructions to the realization of Brahman destroyed by the spiritual teaching even as the Commander-in-Chief of the Divine Army (Devasenapati) destroyed the Asuras (demons).  The Upanishad concludes this anecdote with the statement that Sanat Kummara taught the esoteric secret knowledge clearly to Narada the Supreme Brahman attainable   through Upaassana contained in Chapter7, Sections 24-26 of Chandogya Upanishad.   Probably that is why he is called Guru Guha which Puranas describe as that Lord Muruka (MU-Mukunda; Ru=Rudra; KA=Katyaayini) or Skanda taught the secret of the Pranava Mantra (OM) to his own father Lord Siva and hence he is known as Guru Guha.

The sacred knowledge shared in closed quarters among  the deserving is often interpreted as esoteric tradition in Western thinking which is neither accepted by religious followers or scientific circles.  This Esoteric Sanat Kumara knowledge is honored   by all religions and traditions as Esoteric Sanata Kumara Tradition. About which we talked about. The Upanishadic secret knowledge considered sacred (Jnaanam paramataram guhyam) is the foundation on which Hindu religious and temple traditions are based.  That is why Hinduism says that worship to any deity is intended for Brahman only. Only thing is that this realization should come to the worshiper.   Esoteric knowledge is understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest. It is held private, secret and confidential. It is philosophical doctrine intended to be revealed only to the initiates of a group. The seventh Chapter of Chandogya Upanishad ends with the following Mantra:

Tad-esha slokah: na pasyo mrityum pasyati na rogam nota duhkhataam | sarvam ha pasyah pasyati sarvam aapnoti sarvasah || iti || sa ekadhaa bhavati, tridhaa bhavati, panchadhaa | saptadhaa navadhaa chaiva punas-chaikadasah smritah ||  satam cha dasa chaikas-cha sahasraani cha visa(m)tih  | aahaara-suddhau sattva-suddhih, sattva-suddhau dhruvaa smritih || smrtilambhe sarva-grantheenaam vipra-mokshah | tasmai mridita-kashaayaaya tamasah paaram darsayati bhagavaan sanatkumaarah; tam skanda ity-achaksate, tam skanda ity-achaksate.

There is this verse in this behalf of Bhuma Vidya: The realizer of Brahman will not suffer from death, illness or sorrow. That realizer will see everything.  He will obtain everything from every side according to his will. He can assume one form a   (Subrahymanya), three forms (MU-RU-KA) or five forms (Panchanana). He can likewise assume seven forms or nine forms and again eleven forms, hundreds of forms and ten forms and one or thousand forms (Virat Purusha) or twenty forms. If the food that is taken is pure his mind will be pure. When the mind is pure the meditation upon God will be steady. When constant meditation is gained all knots of the heart of the form of ignorance, desires etc. get destroyed.  To him (Narada) of pure mind (whose imperfections of the mind were washed away) the venerable Sanatkumara taught clearly Brahman who is beyond ignorance. He is called Skanda. He is called Skanda (Sanat Kumara).

One-fold is Tadekam or Parabrahman; Three Forms; MU-RU-KA-Here Mu stands for Mukunda or Vishnu, Ru stands for Rudra and Ka stands for Katyayini or Durga or Parasakti (Katyaayanaya vidmahe kanyakumaari dheemhi tannoe durgihi prachoedayaat); Five-fold or Panchanana or Pancha Brahman with his five faces towards the four quarters and up (Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Eassana, Ghoraaghora and Tatpurusha);  Eleven forms=eleven divine names describing the northward face of Mahadeva or 11 Rudras : 1. The generous God; 2. The Eldest, existing before creation; 3. The most worthy and excellent; 4. He who causes  creatures weep at the time of dissolution;   5. He who is the Power of Time responsible for the evolution of nature; 6) He who causes  changes in the evolution of the universe beginning with Prakriti; 7. He who is the producer of varieties and degrees of strength; 8. He who is the source of all strength; 9. He who surpasses all power at the time of retraction; 10.  The ruler of all created beings; 11. He who is the kindler of the light of the soul (Vamadeva, Jyeshtha, Sreshtha, Rudra, Kaala, Kaalavikarana, Balavikarana, Bala, Balapramathana, Sarvabhootadamana and Manonmana); Thousand forms=Virat Purusha or Sahasraseershaa Purusha] Please note Chamakam also only  mentions odd and even numbers asking us to pay our obeisance to them without telling what those numbers signify (ekascha mae trayascha mae……etc.)

Here the word “pasyah” meaning realizer needs proper explanation. Pasyah means Brahma-darsee. 

He will not see death that leads to sorrow. A realizer will not see sorrow or disease in this world. This implies that this, world will not be disagreeable to a liberated soul. The world shows sorrows and disease only to one who is under the stress and strain of past Karma.  Having realized everything by his mere will he obtains at all times anything he desires.  By his will he assumes any number of bodies.  The means of Mukti calls for special type of meditation. Purity of mind is absolutely necessary and that does not happen to those who take Rajasic or Tamasic food. So the upanishad teaches that one should subsist only Satvic food. By Satvic food mind becomes pure and becomes fit for concentrating on meditation. By such a constant remembrance the knots of the form of ignorance, desires etc. that otherwise cut, get united.  Then it is possible for one to realize the Supreme.  Bhagavad Gita has elaborated  on this at length.

Please find below a vivid   and elaborate explanation   by Swami Krishnananda on Bhuma Vidya which I gratefully acknowledge:
Sanatkumara's Instructions on Bhuma-Vidya
“Section 24-1: The Infinite and the Finite
Yatra naanyat pasyati nanyac-chrinoti naanyad-vijaanaati sa bhumaa |  atha yatraanyat pasyati anyaac-chrinoti anyad vijaanaati tad-alpam | yo vai bhumaa tad-amritam, atha yadalpam tan-martyam | sa, bhagavah, kasmin pratishthita iti |  sve mahimni, yadi vaa na mahimneeti ||
"Do you want to know what Completeness is? And do you want to know what finitude is? Here is the definition," says Sanatkumara. "Where one sees nothing except one's own Self, where one hears nothing except one's own Self, where one understands nothing except one's own Self, that is Bhuma, the Absolute; and where one sees something outside oneself, where one hears something outside oneself, where one understands or thinks something outside oneself, that is the finite."
So here is the whole matter clinched in a single sentence, describing what is Fullness and what is not-fullness. What is immortal is the Bhuma alone, and what you call mortal or perishable, is the finite. "O great master, where is the Bhuma situated? Which place?" asks Narada. "You ask me where it is situated, this great eternal All-Presence! It is situated in Its own Glory. Well, or perhaps, It has no situation at all," replies the master. "It cannot be that It is located in something else, that It is dependent on something else, that It has something else as its support, just as we have some support or the other in this world. How can the All-Being be supported by something else! It is the support of all things. What is this strange question that you are putting to me? Its support is Its own Self. Rather I say It has no support, for It is the support of all. What do you mean by support? What is the meaning of this question, 'Where is it located, where is it situated?' You have got some wrong notion in your mind, Narada, because you are thinking in terms of objects in this world."
[It is to be admitted Bhuman is the Atman in everything else. Bhuma is immortal and is by its very nature ever characterized by the eight auspicious qualities and is without birth and death. All other entities are depending on this for their existence and functioning]
Go-asvam iha mahimety-achakshate, hasti-hiranyam daasa-bhaaryam, kshetraany-aayatanaaneeti | naaham evam braveemi iti hovaacha anyo hya-anyasmin pratishthita iti ||
People in this world regard cattle and horses as greatness itself. A man is very rich, well-supported and sustained if he has plenty of cattle, plenty of horses, elephants, and gold, if he has plenty of servants, attendants, palatial buildings, vast property, and a beautiful house to live in. This is called a well-to-do life in this world. This is called good support; this is called sustenance. Not so is this Bhuma supported. It does not require any of these things for Its support. Its being is not dependent on anything that is of the nature of support in this world.
"I am not speaking of the Absolute in the sense that you have in your mind, thinking that it requires something else to lean upon," says the master. The relativity of things is the support of things in this world. Everything hangs on something else in this world. I hang on you, and you hang on me. That is how we live in this world. But, no such hanging is possible in the Bhuma. It is self-sufficient, self-supported, self-complete and self-existent. It is not any relative being. It is the absolute Being. While everything in this world is relative in the sense that everything is supported by something else, everything is defined by something else, everything is determined by the existence of something else, Bhuma does not exist in this sense. It is absolutely independent. Therefore, It is non-relative in every sense of the term. It is everywhere. It is difficult to say where It is, because the question 'where' implies the existence of space.
"O my dear Narada, your question itself is unfounded and unwarranted. Why do you ask where It is, as if It is in space? But if you want me to tell you where It is, I say It is in space, It is in every nook and corner, in every pinpoint of space. There is no space where It is not; there is no space which It does not occupy."
[Bhuman is not established in things like cattle and others.  He is not supported by any Mahima but he is svayam Bhuma and endows greatness to others.]
[ Bhuma is “idam sarvam”. As Bhuma is the self in all and all objects are  ultimately designated as the Bhuma, there will be nothing which has not Bhuma as the Atman. So everything is Bhuma alone in the ultimate analysis.]
[When  Bhuma   is to be  meditated upon it should not be meditated upon as the Self and so as the inner-self of his Self also.  Bhuma is Self of our Selfs and our Self is the body of that Bhuma. All words signify the “Antaryamin” that happens to be the Self in all. The Jiva is not sarvaaatmaka as it is not sarvaadhaara. Paramaatman is the Inner-self of (antaryaami) of Jivatman and Jivatman is the body of  Paramatman.]

Section 25-1: The Ego and the Self
Sa evaadhastaat, sa uparishtaat, sa paschaat, sa purastaat, sa dakshinatah, sa uttaratah, sa evedam sarvam iti | athato ahamkaaraadesa eva, aham evaadhastat, aham uparishtaat, aham paschaat, aham purastaat, aham dakshinatah, aham uttaratah, aham evedam sarvam iti ||
"If you go down below, you will find It. If you go above, you will find It there. If you go behind, you will find It there, also. If you go in front of you, It is there. To the right of you, It is there. To the left of you, It is there. O Narada, what can I tell you about It? The whole cosmos is filled by It. It is not merely feeling that It is everything. It is everything. All these things that you see with your eyes are nothing but configurations of Its own Being. Are you satisfied?"
Now, a doubt may arise in the minds of people. Grammatically the word 'It' implies third person. Is It then a third person other than me? No, it is the subject only that is doubting thus. The subject that imagines that It is perhaps a third person, is also included in It. The thinking subject also is that very thing which we have referred to as the Bhuma. It is not merely the transcendental. Just as we can say, "It is all things", "It is here", "It is there", "It is everywhere", even so, the subject also can be said to be everywhere—"I am here", "I am there", and "I am everywhere."
But here again a doubt may arise: what is this 'I'? Is it the individual 'I', the ego? Is it the empirical subject, asserting itself as the all? No, the Atman in the subject is that which is identical with the Bhuma that is cosmic. So, a distinction is to be drawn between the individual subject and the subjectness universally present behind the individualities. That is called the Atman. So, it is not the jiva that is identified with the Bhuma here, but the Atman, even as they say the space within a vessel is identical with the space in the universe outside. There is no distinction between a pot space or the space in a tumbler and the space outside, because the distinctions that we create are imaginary. Really no two things exist as inner space and outer space. So is this identity of the Atman with Bhuma. If there is any kind of doubt that it may be the ahamkara, the individual subject that is implied here, in order to remove that the teacher says:
[For one who sees like this, who thinks like this and who knows like this, the Praana or Jivatman is from that Atman, the desire, memory are from that Atman, the ether is from that Atman, the Tejas is from that Atman, water is from that Atman; the appearance and disappearance of all these are from that Atman; food is from that Atman, strength is from that Atman, scriptural knowledge is from that Atman. Consecrated meditation is from that Atman. Chitta or timely thought is from that Atman; Sankalpa is from that Atman mind is from that Atman, speech is from that Atman and names are from that Atman, mantras  are from that Atman and Karmas are from that Atman—all thesae Aarwe from Atman.
In this passage it is made clear here that from the Antaryamin of the Upasaka called as Atman here is the inner-self of all entities sentient and non-sentient. The material cause of all this  universe beginning with Naama or name culminating with Jivatman called as  Praana is none other than Antaryamin of the Upasaka]
AthaAta Aatmadesa eva - atmaivaadhastaat,aatmoparishtat, aatmaa paschaat, aatmaa purastaat, aatmaa daksinatah, aatmottaratah, aatmaivedam sarvam iti | Sa vaa esha evam pasyan-nevam manvaana evam vijaanan aatmaa ratir-aatmakreeda aatma-mithuna aatmaanandah, sa svaraad-bhavati |  tasya sarveshu lokeshu kaamachaaro bhavati |  atha ye anyathaa ato viduh, anyaraajaanaste kshayya-loka bhavanti | Tesham sarveshu lokeshu-avakaamachaaro bhavati ||
"The universal is also the Atman in all things. It is the essential subject of everything. So, that which is cosmically present as the total object is also the total subject. It is the subject and object at one stroke, in a universal sense. This is what I mean by Bhuma. Here only is happiness, nowhere else. What else can be said? Whatever is required, all that has been said. O Narada, what more can I tell you? One who has such realisation or knowledge as this that I have mentioned to you just now—one who can see things in this manner, think in this manner, or understand in this manner as I have expounded just now—such a person is the most happy person conceivable. Such a person is delighted within his own Self, such a person plays with his own Self, such a person enjoys his own Self, such a person is rooted in the bliss of his own Self."
Now, what is this 'own Self'? It is not myself. It is not yourself. It is not the bodily self. It is not the individual self. It is the Universal Being, the All-Being, the All-Presence, Bhuma. This is what is called the Self. And when we say the person enjoys himself, it is the Absolute that is enjoying Itself. That is what we are speaking about, and not Mr. So-and-so, not this person or that person enjoying. This is a very great distinction that we have to draw when we try to understand these passages of a highly mystical character. A person of this nature endowed with this knowledge, acquiring this realization, becomes a master of himself, which means to say a master of all things. Self-mastery is mastery of the universe. He becomes Self-emperor, Self-king, ruling over the Self. To rule over the Self is to rule over everything that has the Self within itself, and this Self is everywhere. So he rules over everything everywhere. It is cosmic ruler-ship that is intended by the word 'self-kingship'—Atma-svarajya. Atma-svarajya mentioned here is Universal Lordship. It is the experience of God-Being. Such is the experience that is bestowed upon this blessed Soul who has entered into the bosom of this knowledge, this realization, this experience. This person can enter into every realm at any moment. Just as you can move from one room to another room of your house without any kind of impediment or obstruction, as you are the free master of your own house, so does this soul acquiring this knowledge enter into every plane of existence!  Every realm of being becomes a free passage to this great one who has acquired this knowledge. He becomes possessed of cosmic freedom.
But what about those people who do not have this knowledge? They are subjected by other people and controlled by them. They are limited from all sides. It is they that take rebirth by pressure of circumstances. Whoever imagines that there are things outside one's own self, he is naturally controlled by those things which are outside him. If one is living in a world of externalities, those externals shall compel one to subjugation to their own laws and mandates. This cannot be escaped. They are not Self-kings, which means to say that kings are outside them and they themselves are not kings. They are subjects and not kings. Their worlds are perishable. Whatever they get in this world is mere dust and ashes. They only reap sorrow in this world. They cannot get happiness, because they live in a world of finitude. They cannot have free entry into other worlds. They are limited to the circle of their own experience. These are the jivas, the bound souls who are bereft of this great knowledge we are speaking of.
Section 26: The Primacy of the Self
Tasya ha vaa etaasyaivam pasyata  evam manvaanasya, evam vijaanata aatmatah praanah, aatmata aasa  aatmatah smara  aatmata aakasa , atmatas-teja,a atmata aapa, aatmata aavirbhaava-tirobhaav–aatmato annam aatmato balam aatmato vijnaanam  aatmato dhyaanam atmatas-chittam aatmatah sankalpa  aatmato mana  atmato vak  aatmato naama  aatmato mantraa aatmatah karmaani  aatmata evedam sarvam iti ||
To such a blessed one everything comes, rises from his own Self. He need not go hither and thither in search of things, because he has this knowledge. He does not have to go to things, but things go to him. The ocean does not go to the river, the river goes to the ocean. Whoever is endowed with this great experience, this knowledge, the possession of this wisdom, for such a person everything that has been mentioned in the gradation of the categories earlier, right from 'name' onwards up to the point we are discussing now, arises automatically from his own Self, because the supreme cause contains within itself everything else mentioned as its own effects. All these worlds, space, time and the five elements, all created beings, everything that we have been studying up to this time in the various stages of development of thought—all this need not be approached separately or individually for satisfaction. They all come simultaneously rising from his own Self, the true Self, the Bhuma, because that Self being all, contains all, and therefore, all things come to that person who ceases to be an individual person any more. He is only a lodgment, apparently looking like a person in this world. He is a Jivanmukta, as they call him. He is really a repository of the absoluteness that he has realised. Everything comes to him, everything flows from his own being, because he himself is the all.
Tad-esha slokah: na pasyo mrityum pasyati na rogam nota duhkhataam | sarvam ha pasyah pasyati sarvam aapnoti sarvasah || iti || sa ekadhaa bhavati, tridhaa bhavati, panchadhaa | saptadhaa navadhaa chaiva punas-chaikadasah smritah ||  satam cha dasa chaikas-cha sahasraani cha visa(m)tih  | aahaara-suddhau sattva-suddhih, sattva-suddhau dhruvaa smritih || smrtilambhe sarva-granthinaam vipra-mokshah | tasmai mridita-kashaayaaya tamasah paaram darsayati bhagavaan sanatkumaarah; tam skanda ity-achaksate, tam skanda ity-achaksate.
The chapter is here concluded. The Bhuma-Vidya has been expounded. One who has this realization is free from every kind of affliction-physical, mental or otherwise. To him there is no death, no transmigration and no sorrow. No grief, no adhibhautika, adhyatmika, adhidaivika sorrow can afflict this person. Becoming all, this person sees the all. Having known this, he knows the all, because he is the all. Everything is attained at one stroke, not in succession as we hear of in this world. In every manner everything comes to him. Things come to us only in certain ways, not in every way. All things do not come to us at the same time. Certain things alone come to us, not all things. And even those certain things come to us at some times, not all times. And even at those times, they come not in every way but only in a certain manner. But in his case, everything comes at all times, in every way. This is the great result that follows from this realization.
In every manner of manifestation, in every possible pattern of existence or being, things flow into this person, because this person is inclusive of every pattern of being, of every place of existence, of every realm conceivable. That is the meaning of sarvam apnoti sarvasah. The Upanishad reiterates this very same meaning by saying that he becomes all—one, two, three, four, a thousandfold, a millionfold—whatever you can think of. All things are contained in this single experience, is the meaning which is made out by this exclamation of the Upanishad: "It is onefold, it is twofold, it is threefold, it is fivefold, it is sevenfold, it is ninefold, it is hundredfold, it is thousandfold, it is millionfold, as wide as this creation itself." Such is the glory of this creation. The sun has one ray or seven rays or a million rays.
Interpreters of the Upanishad try to find a specific intention behind these numbers as in Chamakam. They say that It is one-fold as the one, non-dual Being. It is threefold, being adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika or the three elements fire, water and earth. It is fivefold as the senses can catch, and sevenfold as the constituents of the body. It is nine-fold as the five sense-organs and the four subdivisions of the mind. It is eleven-fold as the ten organs and the mind. It is hundred and tenfold, and a thousand and twentyfold, when It includes many other categories. All these things are comprehended within this single Being. The manifoldness mentioned here is merely a categorizing of this singleness of Being through the channels of perception and experience in various manifestations—human, celestial, subhuman, etc. As is the nature of the incarnation, so is the nature of perception and experience. So all these categories are consumed by this single Being. What you call the inanimate world or the vegetable kingdom or the animal world, what you call the human level and superior worlds of celestials right up to Brahmaloka—all these are comprehended within this single Reality in which there are no different levels of Being. It has no inanimate or animate category there. It has no distinction of subject and object, and It is the seer as well as the seen. This knowledge comes if your effort is properly directed. It does not suddenly drop from the sky, like a fruit that falls from the branch of a tree. Great effort is needed to acquire this knowledge.
Aharasuddhau sattvasuddhih-Purity of thought is a consequence of purity of diet. Here, some people are of the opinion that it means that we must take pure food-sattvik diet. But other thinkers opine that if you think wrongly and see evil things, even if you eat good pure food as cow's milk, fruits, etc., it is not going to help you. So Sankaracharya particularly is of the opinion that it is an exhortation to receive pure things through every sense-organ including the mind. We must see purity, hear purity,feel purity, think purity, and sense purity. And what is purity? Purity is that which is compatible with the nature of the Absolute. This alone is purity. What is that which is compatible with the nature of the Absolute and what is not? Whenever we cognize a thing, perceive a thing, that thing should, from the point of view of our cognition or perception, be capable of being harmonized with the Absolute. We should not be incompatible with nature. That thing alone is purity, and when that purity arises in the mind, there will be that capacity of concentration of mind which retains the consciousness of the Bhuma. That is the perpetual retention of memory, the smriti which this mantra mentions. We can never forget the Being, the Absolute in our own Being.
Then all granthis, the knots of the heart, get broken The knots of the heart are avidya, kama and karma-ignorance, desireful movement of the mind, and activity towards the fulfilment of desire. Sometimes they are called brahma-granthi, vishnu-granthi and rudra-granthi, all meaning one and the same thing, viz., the ties of the mind, the psychological knots by which we are tethered to earthly experience. They break immediately, and we enter into the ocean of Being.
Thus, Bhagavan Sanatkumara, the great master, initiates Narada who is free from all impurity of every kind, a fit disciple to be instructed by an exceptionally great master, into this great mystery of the Supreme Being, and takes the disciple across the ocean of sorrow. "This Sanatkumara," says the Upanishad, "is called Skanda-tam skanda ityacaksate." Sanatkumara is called Skanda, because he has crossed or leaped over the phenomenal existence, which is one interpretation of the word 'Skanda'. There is also a story that Sanatkumara himself was born as Skanda or Kartikeya, the second son of Lord Siva, for the purpose of fulfilling a great purpose of the gods, as we read from the Puranas and epics. Whatever it be, we take the great master either as that divinity that took birth as Skanda in the next incarnation, or one who has crossed the ocean of sorrow, jumped into the Absolute across the phenomenality of life. To that divine person is our obeisance. He is Skanda—he has reached the Absolute, and he takes us to the Absolute.”
Everything in the cosmos comes from the Self. `” Yo maam pasyati sarvatra sarvam  cha mayi pasyati |Tasyaaham na pranasyaami sa cha may na pranishyati|| He who sees Me everywhere  and sees everything in Me, I am never out of sight for him , nor he is ever out of my sight, says Gita.  Isavasyamidam Sarvam—the entire universe is pervaded by Self alone says Isavasyopanishad. The Self is one though appears to be many. We must control our senses and purity of the mind.  Those who leave the world knowing who they are and what they truly desire have freedom everywhere. Freedom ends bondage and joy ends sorrow when there is constant awareness of the self--thus end the conversation of Bhagawan Sanat Kumara with Narada.
[A Brahmadarsi will not see death or anything that leads to sorrow. A realizer does not see sorrow or disease in this world. This implies that this world will not be disagreeable to a liberated soul. The world shows sorrow and disease only to one who is under stress and strain of past Karma. Having realized everything by his mere will he obtains all times anything he desires.  By his will he assumes any number of bodies.
The mode of Upasana that is the means of Mukti:
For gaining such an Upasana, purity of mind is absolutely necessary and that does not happen to those who take Rajasic or a Tamasic food. So the Upanishad teaches one should subsist only on Sattvic food.  By Saatvic food the mind becomes pure and becomes capable of concentrating on meditation. By such a constant remembrance of the knots of the form of ignorance, desire etc. that cannot be otherwise cut, get united.
Skanda refers to Sanat kumara who got all obstructions to the realization of Brahman destroyed   by his spiritual teaching even as the commandeer of divine army Kumaraswamy destroyed the   asuras.]

Hamsah suchishadva- saddhotaa surantariksha vedshat athitih duronasat |
rishad-warasad-ritasad-vyomasad-abjaah gojaa rithajaa adrijaa ritham || Rigveda IV-40-5)
Supreme Lord is Parmahamsa residing in flame (jyoti); pervading all beings; wanderer of skies;   entertainer of all divines; present himself as Garhapatya flame in sacrificial altar; most honorable guest; dweller in all abodes; inner controller in us;  greatest benefactor; abiding in Truth; standing in the heavens; born in the waters;  born in the rays; born in the dawn and Truth alone.  Supreme lord is hailed as Sathyam,  Jnaanam,  Anantam Brahma in  Upanishads.
REFERENCES:
1)      Ananta Rangacharya, Chandogya Upanishad, Bengaluru, India.
2)      Swami Krishnananda, The Chhandogya Upanishad on Skanda, Internet.
3)      Traditions of Sanat Kumara--East and West, Internet.
4)      Eknath Easwaran, The Upanishads, The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, CA, USA.
5)      Sanat Kumara, Wikipedia.
6)      Prabhu Duneja, Bhagavad   Gita, Govindram Hasanand, Delhi. asanandHasaHas
   

APPENDIX
A Note on Sanat Kumara

Sage Sanatkumara was one of the Four Kumaras, the four Manasputras (mind-born-sons) or spiritual sons of Supreme Being as mentioned in Gita whose other sons were Sanaka, Sanatana, and Sanandana.   Sanatkumara in Sanskrit means "eternal youth". The seven   Mansa Putras are:   Sana,   Sanatsujata, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumara, Kapila, and Sanatana and further mentions that "Knowledge comes to these seven rishis, of itself (without being dependent on study or exertion.
Bhagavad Gita says:
Maharshayah saptah poorve chatvaaroe maanavastathaa | madbhaavaa maanasaa jaataa eshaam loka imaah praajaah // 10-6 // 
The seven great sages and the more ancient four Sanaka, Sanatana , Sanandan and  Sanatkumara  and the Manus are possessed of powers like Me, and born of My mind; all these beings of the world are descended from them.
Chhandogya Upanishad says Sanat Kumara is Sknda.  Venkateswara in  Tirupai  is worshiped  as Skanda and the holy tank near Tirupati is called Swami Pushkarani that is named after Skanda.   Venkateswara in Tirupati  is the incarnation of Vishnu in Kaliyuga.  Sanat Kumara is the Son of God and so is Jesus as there is only One God that is Supreme Spirit or Brahman or Holy Spirit or Jehovah or Al Kadar. It is therefore reasonable to conclude Venkateswara is the One and only God on Earth for all Mankind.
Venkataadri samam sthaanam  brahmaande  naasti kanchana |
Venkatesa sama devo na bhooto na bhavishyati ||

There is no place equal to Venkataadri in the whole Universe! A God equal to Venkatesa has never been born nor will be!  GOD equal to Venkatesha has never been in the past, nor is at present, and neither will be in the future”. 

According to Church Universal and Triumphant, the Sanat Kumara is the leader of mankind. It has been said that he is the leader of the Illuminati, and it is he who will rule the world in the future.  According to certain esoteric, mystic and gnostic traditions, Sanat Kumara (eternal youth in Sanskrit) and 144,000 souls from planet Venus came to Earth in her darkest hour to hold the light of God. Notable beings in the 144,000 include Jesus, Gautama Buddha, and Maitreya Buddha. He is also a God of Jains and celebrated as Muni who ascended heaven after great penance. Sanat Kumara is the great guru, savior of Earth. Believers see him in all the major religions, as Skanda/Kartikeya in Hinduism, Brahma-Sanam Kumara in Buddhism, Ancient of Days in Judeo-Christianity and Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrianism. It is also considered that Sanat Kumara is Al Khadir (green man) known to Sufi Muslims.  

A shrine to Sanat Kumara which attracts and unites people of all religions and faiths is situated in the town of Kataragama, Sri Lanka. In the Alice Bailey and Theosophical literature he is called Sanat Kumara or Raudra Chakri - the Buddhist ruler of Shambhala". 

Science and religion conflate that Venus is the most advanced planet and far superior to all other  planets.  Venus is the second brightest natural object in the sky. Venus is sometimes referred to as the “morning star” and “evening star”.  One day on Venus is longer than one year. Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Venus is sometimes called Earth's sister planet. According to the Vedic Astrology Venus have many roles, reaching from being an adviser in guiding them towards making contact with their lost souls and also a spiritual teacher of the highest order.


Sun as spindle pulls all the planets.  The planets also equally pull the Sun.  If the energy of the planets is less than the energy of the Sun, the planets will collapse on the Sun.  The planets with their energy are moving around the huge Sun.  Since the planets have different masses, they move with different speeds from different distances from the Sun.  Eight of them are moving around the Sun in one direction, while the planet Venus is moving in the opposite direction.  The kinetic and rotational energies of Venus is balanced by the energies of the other eight planets.  In this way equilibrium is maintained in space by the nine planets around the Sun.  Different masses, distances, and speeds are involved to maintain the equilibrium in space which can be fully explained only by Sriman Naarayana or the Supreme. That is why everyone loves Venus as Goddess of Love.   She is advanced spiritually and scientifically, much superior than every other planet.  If she does not move in the opposite direction to other 8 planets, we will not have our solar system.  We will not have galaxies.  We will not have the universe.  We are blessed by Sriman Naarayana to live in His  consort's planet.


Ritam sathyam Parabrahma—Supreme Being is called Orderliness, Sathyam that which  regulates both immortals and mortals and Supreme Spirit. Supreme Being is responsible for the orderliness of the Universe and it is not different from the Universe--It is Universe as it pervades all.


Sukra  means "lucid, clear, bright" in Sanskrit.   It also refers to the ancient sage who counseled Rakshasas in Vedic mythology.  In medieval mythology and Hindu astrology, the term refers to the planet Venus one of the Navagrahas. The week-day Sukravara in Hindu calendar, or Friday, has roots in Sukra (Venus).   Sukara Graha is driven by the planet Venus in Hindu astrology. The word "Friday" in the Greco-Roman and other Indo-European calendars is also based on planet Venus.  



Narada – The Journalist Sage

Posted by The Editor   | Saints and Gurus | IndiaDivine.Org
Narada is a Vedic sage, famous in Hindu traditions as a traveling musician and known for carrying all the news and enlightening wisdom. He appears in a number of Hindu texts, notably the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, as well as in most of the religious scriptures always passing on knowledge of an event or teaching the path of Bhakti to all.
He has often been accused of making various people fight. Narada was the official gossip monger of those times. And while people may accuse him of causing disputes, the fact remains that his intentions were never vengeful or malicious. His ultimate goal was the betterment of every soul, living or dead, with no vested interest of his own. Without doubt he was the first journalist on the planet Earth and the heavens. And since he likes to spice up facts, he fits the role of a journalist perfectly.
Vaishnav enthusiasts depict him as a pure, elevated soul who glorifies Vishnu through his devotional songs, singing the names Hari and Narayana, and he was passionate about spreading the importance of devotion and faith.
According to Pauranika literature, in the creation of this universe Shri Narada Muni is the younger brother of the Four Kumaras and son of Brahma. He also rejected his father’s orders of increasing the population, and chose devotion to the Lord. He was thus present before all of the demigods. He was blessed with the ability to travel to any part of creation and he took initiation from his older brothers and their discourses are recorded in the Shri Narada Purana and other literature. He was the master of 64 Vidyas. All celestial beings worshiped him for his knowledge and there is no doubt in saying him as a mobile encyclopedia. [Narada received the knowledge of Brahman taught by Sanat Kumara IN Chhandogya Upanishad]
Once he committed offences to the deva’s (demigods) in heaven, and was thus cursed to take birth as an ordinary maidservant’s son on the earth who was working near a school where Brahmanas used to learn vedic mantras. Once during the Chaturmas, the four months of rainy season, some Maha Bhagavtas, came to the school. Generally travelling monks stop at some place to spend Chaturmas. Seeing this as an opportunity his mother who was a poor servant served the Mahabhagavatas.
As Narada Muni was accompanying his mother, he too began to serve them. He took their permission to take their remnants of food as prasadam. He immediately began to experience changes in him as he felt himself drawn to devotion to Supreme Lord. Mahabhagavatas became very pleased with Narada. When they were about to leave they instructed Narada into the confidential knowledge of Supreme Lord.
Very soon Narada became alone as his mother was bitten by a serpent. although he was only a boy of five years, he immediately took this as an opportunity to meditate on Supreme Lord. He went and sat before a banyan tree and began to meditate on the Super Soul within the heart. He had wonderful vision of the Supreme Lord and he became completely a spiritual person. After that by grace of Lord he could wander all places spreading the names of Narayana.
Narada is a truly global character who never required any passport to straddle Trilok. He was an institution in itself – a man of such diverse communication aptitude was not an ordinary sage, but a fierce intellectual with encyclopedic knowledge. Narad is considered as one of the 12 chiranjivis being still alive and living amongst us mortals. ‘Chiranjivi’ means one who lives forever. He is also regarded as the ‘mind’ of God – one who always knows God’s wishes.
The Bhakti Sutras of Narada is one of the wonderful books on devotion and has no parallel. These texts outlive the philosophy and the classical authority of the concept of Bhakti. The ancient form of Sutra literature in Sanskrit is often very terse and its meaning is obscure and is liable to various interpretations. Fortunately, the Bhakti Sutras of Narad stand out their clarity, simplicity and internal coherence. The Narada Bhakti Sutra is a very ancient and authoritative scripture.
He also tempted Rishi Valmiki to write the Ramayana. Only when Narada narrated the story of Lord Rama, the perfect man and the other events of Ramayana, did Valmiki agree to pen down the great epic as a poem.
There is a temple dedicated to this divine sage. The Narada Temple is situated in Naradagadde Island of Raichur city, on the banks of Krishna River. This temple is dedicated to Narada. According to folklore, this temple is built on the site where Narada preformed penance.
Narad had a very complex personality, not all could understand him. Even though he seems as a happy and playful character, but in reality, he was a very wise and composed yogi. Below verse from Narada Bhakti Sutra describes his personaliy better:
yaj jnatva matto bhavati stabdho bhavaty atmaramo bhavati
One who understands perfectly the process of devotional service in love of Godhead becomes intoxicated in its discharge. Sometimes he becomes stunned in ecstasy and thus enjoys his whole- self, being engaged in the service of the Supreme Self.






UPANISHADS EXPLAIN BRAHMAN THUS

By knowing Brahman one achieves Immortality here [in this body]. There is no other way to its attainment." (Taittiriya Aranyaka VI. i. 6; Nrisimhapurvatapani Upanishad I. 6.)

"If he does not know It (Atman) here, a great destruction awaits him." (Kena Up. II. 5.)

"Those who know It (Brahman) become immortal." (Katha Up. II. Hi. 2.)

"Desiring what, and for whose sake, are you wearing out the body?" (Brihadaranyaka Up. IV. iv. 12.)

"After knowing It (Brahman) one is not stained by sinful action." "The knower of Atman transcends grief." (Chhandogya Up. VII. i. 3.)

"Having realized Atman . . . one is freed from the jaws of death." (Katha Up. I. Hi. 15.)

"He who knows this Brahman, hidden in the cave of the heart, cuts asunder even here the knot of ignorance" (Mundaka Up. II. i. 10.)

"The fetters of the heart are broken, all doubts are resolved, and all works cease to bear fruit, when He (Brahman) is beheld who is both high and low." (Mundaka Up. II. ii. 8.)

"As flowing rivers disappear into the sea, losing their names and forms, so a wise man, freed from name and form, attains the Purusha, who is greater than the Great." (Mundaka Up. 111. ii. 8.)

He who knows the Supreme Brahman verily becomes Brahman. (Mundaka Up. III. ii. 9.)

"He who knows that imperishable Being, bright, without shadow, without body, without color, verily obtains the Supreme." (Prasna Up. IV. 10.)

"Know Him, the Purusha, who alone is to be known . . . that death may not affect you." (Prasna Up. VI. 6.)

"What delusion, what sorrow, can there be for him who beholds that oneness [of the Jiva and Brahman]?" (Isa Up. 7.)

"He obtains Immortality through Knowledge." (Isa Up. 11.)

"The wise investigate all forms, and departing from this world, attain Immortality." "He who thus knows this Upanishad shakes off all sins and becomes firmly established in the infinite and the highest Heaven." (Kena Up. IV. 9.) "

Those who are absorbed in Brahman become immortal. "The embodied soul, having realized the truth about the Self, becomes free from grief and obtains the wished-for goal." "By knowing Him who alone pervades the universe, men become immortal." (Svetasvatara Up. III. 7.)

 "By truly realizing Him ... one attains the supreme peace." (Svetasvatara Up. IV. 11.)

"Verily, by knowing Him one cuts asunder the fetters of death." (Svetasvatara Up. IV. 15.)

"The gods and seers of yore who knew It (Brahman) attained eternal peace—and not others."


--Swami Nikhilanada